What is psych nursing really like???

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

You are reading page 2 of What is psych nursing really like???

Specializes in psychiatric, corrections.

1) I am sick of constantly having to clean up feces, urine, emesis, and other ungodly bodily fluids. That I know of, psych patients perform their own ADL's.

2) I'm tired of having to deal with obnoxious patients and family members that think you are their personal servant/slave.

3) I'm completely over doing all the disgusting medical nursing tasks like cleaning pressure ulcers, changing dressings, inserting foleys and rectal tubes, etc.

I am assuming these things won't be an issue is the psych unit, but you know what they say when you assume.

Well what exactly were you expecting when you became nurse? People who are perfectly healthy have no need of medical attention usually. Why don't you go into nursing management You can sit in an office and stare at a computer. At least in an ICU people don't mean to soil themselves, they can't help it. In a psych ward you're liable to have urine, semen and feces thrown at you because they're mentally unstable. You might have patients who refuse to bathe or are self violent, or violent to others cause bodily damage resulting in blood loss. This isn't to chastise you but you ought to consider your chosen career path. Maybe something like school nursing would be your calling, hand out band aids and do sports physicals and such. Or work in public health, people come to you for what they need and then go away.

Specializes in CCM, PHN.

You sure have a narrow view of what is NOT bedside nursing, your list is so short!

Informatics

Research

Case management

Doctors office

Ambulatory/clinic

Home health

Workers comp

Telehealth

Specializes in Nephrology, Dialysis, Plasmapheresis.
Thanks again guys. I actually shadowed someone in the psych unit a couple of days ago and I quickly realized that psych is definitely not for me. I left within two hours of arriving. The place feels like a prison and the patients are beyond annoying disgusting, and absolutely coo-coo for coco puffs (duh). Not my cup of tea.[/quote']

Maybe I'm biased here, but seriously, maybe try a dialysis clinic! I never once cleaned up bodily fluids other then blood, and occasionally someone threw up, but they usually offered to help clean it up. These people are mostly ambulatory. It can be a fun environment. Again though, some walk in and absolutely hate it. Are you sure you aren't just burnt out on patients in general? All patients are going to ask you to fetch them some ice water or scratch their back sometimes.. You're a nurse! Maybe you would be better behind the scenes for a while. Education, administration, what about surgery? You probably don't have to interact with patients to often there. I hope you find something!

Specializes in Psychiatry.

As others said, what did you expect when you went onto the psych unit? Calling those pts disgusting and annoying is pretty brutal. Standard nurse to pt contact clearly isn't one of your strengths if you can't be empathetic to the suffering these people go through. Go into education or find a desk job if you have no compassion for the sick, be it physical or mental illness.

PsychNP-BC

30 Posts

Specializes in Psych, LTC.
As others said, what did you expect when you went onto the psych unit? Calling those pts disgusting and annoying is pretty brutal. Standard nurse to pt contact clearly isn't one of your strengths if you can't be empathetic to the suffering these people go through.

Agreed Nurse.Steph. These were some pretty brutal statements. A psych pt has a very hard life to cope with and are deserving of respect.

wiggingout

11 Posts

yikes,

i typically can't stand people on here calling out others for going into nursing for a particular reason (e.g. "Shame on you for becoming a nurse for any reason other that it's your one true passion).

I think it's perfectly fine to enter the field for more practical reasons (e.g. money, time, job security)...

...but, based off of your last comment, please leave any and all direct-care nursing. Do it, now. You have zero compassion. Really, you'd probably get along much better with computers.

ifhn10

5 Posts

Zero. I hate them all. Lol.

To answer everyone's question, nursing was a quick 3 semester answer to this horrible economy. It's a temporary career detour if you will.

Now I'm really gonna get it from all the randy nurses... lol

GeneralJinjur

376 Posts

Specializes in Psych.

So if you are burned on patient contact, how about some back office paper-pushing utilization/review type job? You need the RN license to do it, but you don't deal with needy pts, just insurance company reps. Or get certified in medical coding. One of our medical records people was waxing poetic about doing that when I got injured and was stuck in her office on "light duty". The money is about the same. She was so enthusiastic about it that I didn't tell her I would rather clean all the bathrooms in Grand Central Station with my tongue. I think your three semester solution has other possibilities and you should keep looking until you find one that fits you.

Specializes in psychiatric, corrections.
Zero. I hate them all. Lol.

To answer everyone's question, nursing was a quick 3 semester answer to this horrible economy. It's a temporary career detour if you will.

Now I'm really gonna get it from all the randy nurses... lol

well if that's how you really feel I hope for the patients sake you don't let on that you're disgruntled.

trstn

22 Posts

Wow.. Pretty depressing to hear that they let people with that attitude anywhere near patients. Absolutely zero empathy. Definitely look for a desk job ASAP.

MrsMig, BSN, RN

172 Posts

Zero. I hate them all. Lol.

To answer everyone's question, nursing was a quick 3 semester answer to this horrible economy. It's a temporary career detour if you will.

Now I'm really gonna get it from all the randy nurses... lol

You're just a pot stirrer ... Of course no one will give you accolades for that disgusting comment. Your a disgrace to my profession... But that's what you wanted to hear, right?

MrsMig, BSN, RN

172 Posts

As others said what did you expect when you went onto the psych unit? Calling those pts disgusting and annoying is pretty brutal. Standard nurse to pt contact clearly isn't one of your strengths if you can't be empathetic to the suffering these people go through. Go into education or find a desk job if you have no compassion for the sick, be it physical or mental illness.[/quote']

Amen... Lets hope she heeds your advice!!

+ Add a Comment